I have a problem with my wife's 98R Micra. It has manual windows. The driver's side window winder is just turning but not winding the window. The window itself is not being held up by anything, and would fall through the door if we don't stick it up with blu-tac.

We have had this problem before (5 years ago), and the garage we took it to first of all rebonded the window - but that didn't work, so they replaced both the glass and the winder mechanism. I have phoned a couple of garages and also visited a scrapyard. I seem to have 3 choices :

a) First garage says needs new window plus winder mechanism - total bill £300. This seems a lot, especially as the car is probably only worth £1k.

b) Second garage says all it needs is to be rebonded - cost £50. Reluctant to go down this route, as rebonding did not work last time.

c) Visited scrapyard. Could either get a door from a scrapped car and do a straight swap, presumably just changing the lock barrell. Or cannibalise the old door for the window and winder.

I want to explore option c). Scrapyard says cost = £40 for door. But the only doors they have are for a 3 door car, mine is a 5 door (smaller door). So, questions :

1. How easy will it be to locate the door of a 5 door car?

2. Would I be better to replace the door (in which case it will need to be white) or cannibalise the parts I need?

3. How much do you think a workshop would charge me to do this? I would want them to source the door themselves and do all the work for me.

I am tempted by option c), but I guess the risk is that any second hand parts I use may also fail. One of the garages I phoned said this was a fairly common fault,

Which of the above options would you go for, and can you answer my queries re option c).

if the glass has come out of it's holder take off door trim and reposition glass in u- shaped holder. it can be glued in place with araldite 2 pack adhesive. that's assuming it's the same type of fixing as
a 2000 y reg primera. jag.

Took less then 30 minutes to remove and refit door trim and re-seat the glass in the winder mechanism - it's held in at the bottom by two clamps - I actually used tubular tyre cement (very sticky glue used for racing bicycle tyres) to hold it in place.

I'd also spray silicon lubricant onto the glass runners and door rubbers - Also do your passenger side too. - This will free up the winding as the rubbers will now be lubricated (they do tend to dry out with age).

1. Lower the window glass into the door or if you can remove it, do so.

2. Remove top of arm rest containing the window switches by gradually easing it up and off. Disconnect the switches.
There are 3 double 'push fit' catches, one at either end, and the most troublesome one is in the middle.

3. Undo all the screws that are now visible holding the centre of the door card to the door.

4. Un-pop all the push fit catches around the door edge, and then lift up the door card vertically out of the window opening.

5. Access to the door internals may require cutting the polythene in front of certain areas.

6. I suggest you remove the door speaker to help you with access.

7. Remove the 4 screws from the bracing plate to gain access to the main access point.

8. Make sure the window glass is now removed.

9. Disconnect the electric to power window mechanism.

10 Remove 2 screws holding the short window mechanism track to the door.

11 Remove fixings to the rest of the mechanism, and remove it from the main access area.

12 On a bench unscrew the 2 glass holders and remove all the old 'resin bonding'.
Tips: With a nail poke out the resin from the 2 holes in the bottom of these holders. A masonary cutting disk
held in a vice is good to use to clean the slots manually.
This will help with better bonding and make it easier to locate the glass in the holders.
Inspect the mechanism for wear and consider greasing the short track.

13 Clean old resin off the glass, but first with a marker, mark where new resin needs to be applied.

14 Replace mechanism and track into door. NOW if you have it, spray dry silicone lubricant to the internal glass guidance tracks.

15 Temporarily re-connect the elecric switch and raise the mechanism slowly as far as possible so that
you can apply Araldite to them.

16 Apply generous amounts of Araldite to both sides of glass and the holders.

17 Lower the mechanism nearly to the bottom where you can see the holders.

18 Carefully slot in the glass following the guidance tracks at either side, and locate the bottom into the holders.

19 IMPORTANT: Close the window fully, doublecheck the holders are in the right place, and the glass is in its guidance slots and then leave to bond.

20 When bonded, open the window fully, disconnect the winder electrics and reassemble reversing the above procedure para 7 to para 2.
Note it is a good idea to sellotape up the cut polythene as you do this.